Patterns of Warmth, 3 - In Sickness
by Irene Claire
Summary: A continuation of this warm & fuzzy verse w an intentional growth towards a pre-relationship, slash vein. Much license is taken more angst based upon & around the happenings of S8E10 "I Ka Wa Ma Mua, I Ka Wa Ma Hope". Now adding references to S7E21 'Ua Malo'o Ka Wai' where Steve is post his liver transplant & post radiation exposure. Includes Charlie. Swarmy stuff alert!
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _not sure what this is ... likely just a 2 chapter build up to continue this tiny little pre-relationship verse._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

"Had I known it was this easy, I would have done it a long time ago," Danny said as he wandered around the doctor's examination room. "Who knew that the big bad SEAL would behave himself in the company of a child?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Steve noticed that Danny didn't even bother to look at him. Not even a glance. He was too busy making believe that he was randomly poking at a book or then picking up a miniature bud vase to examine it more closely, his furrowed brow enough for Steve to know his friend was briefly perplexed about the thing. The red glass was iridescent and very pretty. It also had no place at all in a doctor's sterile exam room. At least Steve knew that Danny was pondering that precise thing before moving on to the next bauble.

Before picking on _him_ because Steve was handicapped and completely unable to reply. At least honestly as he looked down into Charlie's face.

"What's she gonna do, Uncle Steve? Are you scared," Charlie whispered dramatically from where he was leaning against his knee. And therein lay his handicap of sorts. The boy's chin was resting on Steve's thigh. Balanced next to his chin, was a pint-sized Ironman action figure, its little booted feet digging into Steve's jeans. Charlie was literally drinking in every single one of Steve's reactions to this last minute and very scary doctor's office visit.

"It's just a checkup, Charlie," Steve replied. "Nothing to be scared of."

"Needles?" Charlie stage-whispered. He made his eyes overly large and Steve had to grin.

"Nope, no needles," Steve said.

"Are you sure?" Danny interrupted from the corner of the small room. "How can you be sure?" He still didn't turn around and Steve screwed up his face in annoyance, making sure that Charlie didn't see his expression. He couldn't even say anything out loud to his partner - didn't dare whisper a thing - since little ears were listening. Lips firmly pressed together, Steve glared at Danny when he finally did turn around, his blue eyes flashing with humor.

"I'm positive that there are no needles," Steve repeated. "And because ... I _know_. And I _know_ because if this was more than a checkup, I wouldn't have let Charlie ... or, _you_ , in here with me to keep me company, Danno."

"This isn't quite a checkup though is it," Danny argued. "This isn't anything like a regular office visit."

Glaring at his partner and childish or not, Steve resorted to sticking his tongue out at him because Charlie was not only listening, he was watching them both as if he were refereeing a tennis match.

The giggle was loud and infectious, but Charlie also saw fit to state the reason for the visit. As if Steve needed the reminder. Charlie evidently was firmly on his father's side and Steve narrowed his eyes unhappily because it was as if the little boy was directly channeling Danny, even down the ever-expressive hand gestures.

"But you _fainted_ , Uncle Steve," Charlie said.

"I tripped!" Steve objected. "There's a difference."

"But Danno caught you!"

"Because ... Charlie, I tripped," Steve stated adamantly. He was losing some of his patience now; even his cool. Especially when Danny started to laugh softly in the background. A mocking sound ... one that easily challenged that statement and somehow simultaneously communicated his disbelief and mounting concern for Steve's general health.

"But your eyes were closed. And daddy said you were really heavy… and then he called you an _animal_ …." Charlie giggled again. Arms flung wide, Charlie shrugged. "He put you down on the floor ... and ..."

"No, I don't think it happened quite like that, Charlie," Steve interrupted the diatribe. Truth be told though, he was growing a bit worried himself about what Charlie was relating. That couldn't have happened to him, could it have? He couldn't remember. Not really. All he could come up with us a sketchy memory of standing in his kitchen and feeling a bit ... what? _Off balance ... sickish ... woozy?_

"Uh, yeah, Steve," Danny corrected him. "Actually? I think it did happen exactly like that and I've got the sore back to prove it."

"And then - when you opened your eyes - you _puked_ ," Charlie added helpfully. He spread his arms wide to better demonstrate this next bit of information. "All over Danno! _And then_ daddy called you _another_ name!"

This time Danny snorted in laughter. "It was disgusting ... you owe me a new pair of shoes, Steven."

"Those so-called _shoes_ don't belong in the State of Hawaii anyway," Steve snarked back on the verge of really losing his temper. He didn't remember the in-between parts. From standing at the kitchen sink to physically being rocked onto his side while laying on his own floor, Danny cursing up a blue-streak as Steve began to heave - there was nothing in between. Now, the two men glared at each other, each warning the other off, but Danny was refusing to back down. Rather insolently, he crossed his arms to lounge against the exam room's long counter, his eyes boring holes through Steve's face.

"Says you," Danny sniffed in challenge as he crossed his ankles to add insult to injury. Eyebrow raised, Danny started to examine him. Clearly displeased by whatever it was he was seeing, he was absolutely daring Steve to continue the argument.

"It was icky, Uncle Steve," Charlie said. " _Gross_!"

"Just, you two ... stop it!" Steve glowered unhappily at them. "I feel fine now. It was just a little hiccup."

Father and son were completely unrepentant though. Where Charlie was now giggling about hiccups, Danny was communicating an adult-sized volume of worry. He might have been smiling and laughing, even meandering around the exam room with a bored air. But now that he'd stilled all movement to hug his body into a ball of anxiety, Danny was proving that he was very concerned for him. He was only doing his best to keep things light-hearted for Charlie's sake. Not only didn't Danny believe that he felt fine now, Steve knew what Danny was thinking about, too.

"It's not _that_ ," Steve said pointedly to Danny. "It's not! I've been feeling a little off ... I probably caught a cold or something. Whatever it was - it's gone - and I feel fine now."

"People don't pass out just from catching a cold, Steven," Danny said. "Nor, do they upchuck ten seconds later ... or look as pale as you still do." He smiled lamely at his son who was admittedly confused about their change in tone, but not asking any questions. _Yet_.

"So yeah, I'm worried that it could be _that_ ," Danny admitted. "And I won't be happy until the doctor says otherwise."

"You have a big imagination, buddy," Steve sighed and not so patiently. "We're bothering Dr. Morris for nothing."

"I don't care!" Danny burst out unexpectedly, startling Charlie and Steve. "So we bother her and find out it's nothing! So what!"

"Okay! Alright!" Steve said, with a shake of his head. He was annoyed with himself; annoyed with Danny's attitude from the start and how he'd bundled him into his car. The only battle Steve had won thus far was avoiding the emergency room. But Danny had only deviated a mile or two to deposit Steve on his general practitioner's doorstep. Other than that small win, Steve was frustrated that Danny was still reading right through him. Just because he looked pale, Danny knew that he wasn't feeling right? That just wasn't fair!

Steve ran his fingers through his hair, refusing to admit that he didn't feel all that great. His stomach was still on the iffy side of wrong and his head was beginning to throb. As for his vision? If he continued to feel as if he were sitting lopsided on a slanted table, he was going to be forced to say something. He knew the table was perfectly flat and he KNEW that his body was sitting upright! So why the heck did he feel like he was inside a tilt-a-whirl ride at a carnival?

"Take it down a few notches. Okay? Let's just see what Doctor Morris has to say?" He knew where Danny was coming from, but was sure he wasn't suffering from any type of radiation poisoning at all. It simply didn't _feel_ that bad or as bad as it could be based on what he'd been told by his doctors. In fact, he'd been feeling great for days and maybe even weeks. He was sure he's just had some tiny blip. This was nothing to worry about at all.

"Sure," Danny muttered under his breath before glancing at his watch to check the time. "Where is the doctor anyway?" All humor had bled from his face in just those few seconds and he'd become quiet and dour. It took some work for Danny to smile again even when Charlie caught his eye and the doctor entered the room, her welcoming more than warm.

"So, who's the patient then? Which one of you three?" Dr. Morris asked, bending down to Charlie first despite knowing full well who it was. She laughed when Charlie patted Steve's knee.

"My Uncle Steve," Charlie said. "He doesn't feel so good."

"Well thank you," Doctor Morris said to Charlie before looking to Steve. "So, _Uncle_ Steve ... what's happening today? According to the nurse, you said that you passed out for a few seconds at home ... some sort of episode?" She cocked her head slightly towards where Charlie was standing to indicate her care in what she was going next ask.

"But ...not what you've seen your other doctors and Doctor Kohashi for... for in the past?"

"No. And like I told Danny, nothing like that at all," Steve offered the doctor quickly. "It's _nothing_ like that; Danny's just a bit worried. I'm sure this is going to wind up being a waste of all of our time."

"But Uncle Steve puked all over Danno," Charlie whispered helpfully. "It was _gross_ ..."

"Okay, come here!" Danny said, striding forward to swoop his son up into his arms. "I think Uncle Steve can speak for himself, Charlie. Or, can you?" He asked Steve not so discreetly as he loitered by Steve's shoulder, daring him to withhold any part of what had happened. "You can right? Because if not, I can certainly fill in any gaps."

"Go away, Daniel," Steve practically hissed through his teeth.

"Where exactly would you like me to go, Steven? It's a very small room," Danny mimicked Steve's tone right back at him, down to the clenched teeth. "You might say you feel okay, but you're still pale and look like _sh_ \- ... _bad_." He corrected himself quickly while placing a hand over one of Charle's ears.

"Then leave ... wait outside," Steve replied, pointing adamantly at the door. "I'm fine here with Doctor Morris, thank you very much."

"Well I'm not so sure that you are," Danny remarked. He narrowed his eyes, his expression stern. "Can I trust you to not say that you're fine when it's obvious that you're not fine?"

"What?" Steve blurted. "I'm not sure that even made sense!" He groaned helplessly, running out of words when the room swam in front of his eyes.

"It makes perfect sense," Danny insisted as he let Charlie slide to the floor. His voice petered out and Steve made a face when he caught Danny staring at him a bit too closely.

"Shut up," Steve said. He swallowed hard, feeling more sick than he as his vision narrowed to a pinpoint. For a moment, he could only see the white blur of Danny's face. It was eerily reminiscent of what had happened in his kitchen before ...

"Shit," he mumbled under his breath. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

"Steve?" Danny asked. "You okay?"

"Perfect ... just fine," Steve replied thickly. He knew he was blinking madly now but his damned eyesight wouldn't clear up and he was trying to will himself to stop what felt like a dangerous wobble. Belatedly, he realized that Danny was now rubbing the back of his neck hard, almost forcing his head forward to relax.

"You look like crap, Steven!" Danny hissed angrily. "Doc?"

"Back off," Steve whispered as he dabbed sweat from his upper lip. "I told you that I was fine ... stop worrying!"

"Do they do this all the time, Charlie?" Doctor Morris asked Charlie who had resorted to peering up at her as if asking her to intervene. She was already doing that, but again for Charlie's sake, trying to not show her alarm.

"Yes," Charlie nodded. "They do this a lot ... all the time time."

"No, no we don't," Steve and Danny objected in unison and on another day, either of them might have laughed. Steve though felt Danny's fingers drilling hard into the back of his neck, his other hand latched firmly around his bicep. As the world began to slide away, he focused hard on Danny, needing the support. He tried to say something else but his vision was already starting to white out.

The voices around him became a buzz inside of his head and that sickly slide started to pick up speed. As Danny guided him backwards to lay on the exam room table and Doctor Morris was hastily coming to his side, Steve was already lost to a dizzying sense of vertigo. Then ... there was nothing.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _Thanks to ALL of you and to the guests I can't reply to. Love all your encouraging feedback. The muse is seeing a chapter 3 now ... caveats apply re proper medical protocol ... methods,etc. Not a doctor and morphing universes and reality to suit the fiction that this is! I don't have a posting schedule per se ... but soon ..._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

When Steve next opened his eyes, he was flat on his back and staring up into Danny's worried face. It was disturbingly familiar.

"Steve?"

He was awake and yet Danny's voice was tinny and far away, lurking just out of reach. Squinting upwards, Danny's face was at first blurred to him but Steve felt Danny's fingers roaming idly through his hair. Danny's other hand was wrapped around Steve's fingers in a vise-like grip held firmly against his chest. Instinctively, Steve squeezed Danny's hand trying to half-heartedly communicate that he was okay even if he probably wasn't. Especially since Dr. Morris was taking up all of Steve's airspace on his opposite side.

" _H'pnd_?" Steve mouthed, confused when Danny choked out an incomprehensible sound and then leaned down to spontaneously kiss his forehead.

"Please tell me that you're not going to throw up on this pair of shoes," Danny said, trying to smile despite the fear in his eyes. "It's my last pair ... and the only pair I have with me. I really don't want to walk out of here barefoot, Steven."

"C'hrlie?" Steve croaked softly, wondering what the heck had happened to his voice. He swallowed hard as his stomach threatened to twist and then tried speaking again, faring much better on this attempt. "Scared him?" Worried now that he'd frightened the boy, he tried to sit up and failed as Danny held him down. "He okay?"

"No, no, no. Stay where you are, okay? Charlie's fine you big goof," Danny said, glancing over his shoulder to a spot in the room where Steve couldn't quite see. Steve could see that Danny was alarmed though. Though his voice was steady, Danny's eyes were wide as he divided his attention between watching Morris, Steve and his son. "He's right here ... you were only out for a few seconds and I don't think he noticed anything at all. He's here and okay. It's you we're worried about so just let Dr. Morris figure things out all right?"

"Steve? How are you doing - what just happened? Can you tell me how you're feeling now?" Dr. Morris interrupted, coming into the picture by Steve's opposite shoulder. "Are you dizzy? Any nausea? Any issues with your vision?"

"H'long?" Steve whispered instead. He tried to sit up again, but this time two pairs of hands kept him in place.

"Hospital?" Danny asked the doctor, completely talking over Steve.

"No hospital," Steve objected. He tried to get up again and Danny barely glanced at him. His fist was mired in Steve's tee-shirt though as he focused on the doctor. Ready to pull the plug on this so-called checkup and follow through on what he'd wanted to do from the onset of this little escapade, Danny's body was tense and he was practically strong-arming Steve's chest.

"Danny ... stop over-reacting," Steve said as calmly as he could, getting nowhere at all as Danny merely took a stronger hold on his shirt. "Let me up, buddy."

"Are you insane? Stay down! Doc? Should we get him over to the hospital?" Danny simultaneously ordered Steve and questioned the doctor. "Yes?" Danny was clearly on board for hauling Steve to the hospital right that very minute and only waiting for Dr. Morris's say-so. He was also clearly taking a risk at scaring his son who Steve could now sense off to the side and likely paying rapt attention.

"Danny, he's listening," Steve whispered when he caught a glimpse of that shock of bright blond hair, slightly mollified when he realized that Danny knew that already. _Of course_ he would know that.

"Doc?" Danny pressed as Morris completed a check of Steve's vitals. With a start, Steve realized that he hadn't even noticed when Morris had had the time to wrap a blood pressure cuff around his bicep or snap a pulse-oximeter onto one of his fingers. Yet, there it all was ... he sighed and lay back limply when the room - _and the gurney_ \- had the gall to shift under his back. He squeezed his eyes shut briefly before forcing them back open as Morris seemed to mull over if a trip to the hospital might be indeed on the docket.

"You're dizzy," she astutely confirmed, her brow furrowed in concentration now. "Sick? Feeling nauseous? How's your vision?"

"No! M'fine ... just give me a minute ... please," Steve said, forcing his voice to be low and even. "How long was I out for Doc?" It didn't seem fair that Danny's fingers could be rubbing such gentle circles through his hair and yet he could also sound so angry with him. It was as if Danny's fingers weren't attached to his facial expressions or his general mood which seemed to be bordering on the frenetic. None of it was fair at all as Steve fought his own urges to tuck his head deeper into Danny's hand as he found a particularly comforting spot.

"Oh that's ripe! Here we go ... don't you dare try to change the subject," Danny said just as quietly but in no uncertain terms, definitely angry, as Steve automatically played down what had happened to him. _Again_. Steve glowered at him, confused about how Danny could divorce his fingers from his voice. How could he be so damnably caring ...and then wind up angry with him?

"I'm not changing anything," Steve objected incapable of hiding his discomfort when his stomach painfully rolled. He breathed in, then out, gaining a small win as his stomach settled and aware that Morris was astutely watching him.

"I'm asking the _doctor_ in the room a question of which, by the way, I am not going to the damned hospital, Daniel," he insisted as Morris tutted over him.

"You will if she says so!" Danny hissed back. "Besides, the doctor asked _you_ a question first! A couple of them in fact!"

"Both of you just take it easy," Morris stated calmly. "To answer your question first, Steve, you were out about forty-five seconds. Less than a minute." She paused and then frowned, thinking to herself. She surprised Steve with her slow supposition.

"Listen, I know you're both concerned about that _larger_ issue we're monitoring. But I don't think we need to over-react just yet. Especially since Steve's latest check-ups have indicated no reason for alarm. So here's a new thought: I know that we've had some rough weather lately and Steve ... keeping you out of the water is likely beating a dead duck."

"Beating a _what_?" Danny blurted. He looked at the doctor, eyes wide in disbelief, before barking out a laugh. Steve scowled at the sound knowing what it often preceded. Danny was barely holding his emotions in check.

"Did you say ... _duck_?"

"I swear," Steve muttered bleakly, vainly trying to find a better place for his partner to land as Danny's worry for him only continued to sky-rocket. "The things that you hear and focus on defy normalcy. Let the doctor finish talking!" He also sensed Charlie squirming in the chair he'd apparently been told to stay so the adults could talk. But the conflicting energy was entrenched in the room. They both needed to calm down.

" _Me_? You didn't even answer her damned questions! It's a damned good thing that you can't _trip_ off a gurney, too! And you - you of all people - are bring up _normalcy_? You want to talk about _normalcy_?" Danny groused at him, the rant growing exponentially now. One hand flew over Steve's body, indicating that bringing Danny down was going to be nigh near impossible until Morris - or someone with a valid medical degree - proved that Steve was going to be fine.

"We haven't had a normal day in our life ...," Danny continued to complain until Steve found himself accidentally interrupting him to finish the sentence.

"Our life ... _together_?" Steve repeated so so softly, that he was sure only Danny heard him. For a minute, Steve forgot about his queasy stomach and sense of vertigo which made the gurney feel as if it might be moving under his back. The turn of phrase was odd though; even more strange that Steve had hit the nail on the head and that it felt - right. If it were possible, Danny's eyes managed to widen even more before he glanced away. He stared at the far wall while heaving in a few settling lungfuls of air. When he looked back, he was under control again. Just barely.

"Shut up," Danny muttered under his breath. He blinked and then knuckled the space between his eyes as hard as he could, the pinched marks he left behind on his skin were briefly white. "Just _shut up_ and listen to the doctor, will you? _Please_?"

"Are you both done now?" Morris took the opportunity to ask. She was still smiling, so that was a plus at least. Even reassuring. She'd folded her arms though, foot tapping loudly now on the linoleum floor; she understood they were both upset but was still finding some amusement in their antics. Nonetheless, she was definitely wanting to have their undivided attention now.

"Good. I had another patient come in earlier this morning with similar symptoms," she explained. "A surfer. And I'm just wondering - I have a feeling and I'm looking for commonalities - and Steve, I know you're quite the swimmer. So this might be more straight forward than any of us might be thinking."

He frowned, nodding through that uncomfortable flux of nausea, cognizant that Danny's hand was back to gently cupping the top of his head. Despite how good those sturdy fingers felt, Steve sighed for the ongoing worried level of attention. The gestures, words and tone were all bluff for Danny's stress.

"Yeah, so I've been swimming almost every day this week," Steve offered. "Nothing _happened_ ..."

"But where?" Morris asked. "There were a number of warnings posted after the storms we've had."

"Storms? I stick to my place for the most part," Steve objected, his frown deepening when Doctor Morris rolled her eyes because she thought he'd catch on more quickly to her train of thought. He was evidently missing the point that this home could be quite close to the more public beaches reporting issues. Run-off. Contaminants. He vaguely remembered be cognizant of the warnings. Most postings were up on the common swimming or surfing spots. Warning people off until the period passed and the ocean waters naturally cleared. Obviously, contamination could spread and he'd not thought it out well enough. Anything was possible and he harrumphed loudly before sinking back onto the exam room table. It was Danny though who quickly put two and two together and more correctly verbalized Morris's point since Steve was in denial and plus had never, in his life, even remotely had to worry about catching an illness.

"So what you're saying is because of the changes in his immune system ... the anti-rejection meds for the liver transplant ...the _other_ thing. All of if," Danny said, asking the doctor if his assumption about what she was implying then was spot on. "He's more susceptible to catching something - and this could be proof of that risk we've been warned about? So, seriously, this could be nothing more than an infection? A _treatable_ infection?"

"Yes, maybe a very treatable infection and ... I'd like to pursue this a bit with you both," Morris confirmed. "The surfer ... he was just in this morning so it's fresh in my mind. His symptoms were very similar and the guy had been sick a month ago, just generally run down. And for Steve, with his recent medical history? Well, it's making sense to me in conjunction with the postings for high bacterial advisories."

"An infection?" Steve asked not knowing how to take that bit of news. Danny's fingers were now rapidly rubbing through his hair, nearly scratching his scalp. His fingers were rough but it felt good though, almost calming.

"Vestibulitis. An inflammation of your inner ear .. more than likely caused by a viral infection," she explained. "It's wholly possible. The inflammation disrupts your balance. Vertigo, dizziness, and difficulties with vision - even with hearing - any one of these or a combination of them could all indicate a viral infection. A neuritis will absolutely cause vertigo resulting in nausea ... "

"I've never had to worry about this before," Steve said petulantly. "I swim all the time." He was thinking about what she was saying though; crunching through it mentally and in all honesty, beginning to feel relieved. An infection could be healed and dealt with. An occurrence - a real occurrence - of what his exposure to uranium might cause despite the fast care and other precautions? Not so much.

"Well," Morris soothed. "I know, Steve. But you need to be more cautious now until your immune system has a chance to recover. It's an unhappy fact, but you're going to be potentially subject to certain viruses or bacterial infections until your immune system strengthens. Like Danny just said, you both know that already; I'm not telling you anything new. The advisory for the posted beaches was specific - Mother Nature has her own plans though and these things travel. You know that there are potentially harmful microorganisms in the waters after the storms we've had and with the flux in run-off. Reports included the presence of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and even the potential for parasites in the water and the tides are always strong."

He nodded in slow agreement. He hadn't missed a day of swimming in, well, since the storms had cleared out. He'd all but ignored the posted reports. Unlike Danny, he'd remained wholly ignorant, whether it be intentional or not, as to the new demands placed on his recovering system. If Morris was right, then Steve could be getting off easy.

"How do you feel?" She asked as she busiest herself with his vitals. "It's obvious to me that you're dizzy; nauseous. You're still pale and heart rate is elevated ... blood pressure is slightly elevated as well, but nothing to write home about with the bit of stress you've just had. We might be able to avoid the hospital if I can validate my theory ... run a few simple tests ... make a few calls."

"I have to go," Danny suddenly muttered under his breath. "Be right back ... I, _uh_..."

"Danny?" Steve started to say and then stopped, his voice petering out. Next to him Danny was fidgeting badly. His fingers were stilling their warm, patterned march through his hair and then that gentle touch was gone. Danny pulled out of Steve's hand and then backed up a step or two. Confused and losing his train of thought, Steve really looked at him. Danny's eyes were a glossy, pale and he seemed _unnerved_ ; the only word Steve could put to the odd expression until he realized that Danny might be on the verge of a panic attack.

"I'll be right back," he repeated. Danny half turned beckoning his son to his side and then took up Charlie's hand. "Talk to Dr. Morris. _You talk to her_ and you tell her everything," Danny stated adamantly. " _Everything_ , Steven. I mean it." Despite the ferocity of his words, his voice sounded thin, almost weedy. He kept backing up, nearly dragging Charlie with him and not giving a chance for Steve to say a thing to him.

"I need to take Charlie to the bathroom ... need to, _uh_ , take him. He has to ... to go. So, so ... I'll be back; in a minute or two."

Then he was gone out the door. The last thing Steve saw was Charlie's equally confused expression as the boy was tugged along behind his father. Steve might have been distracted about his own care; lamely arguing his case with Danny for a time. Yet he was sure of one thing: Charlie hadn't asked for a damned thing. Steve opened his mouth to call after them, but it was too late and just like that ... Steve was alone.

When he had no recourse but to look at Doctor Morris, Steve noticed another thing: there was a coy tilt to her eyebrow and an interesting gleam in her eye.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _I love everyone's "love" - thanks for supporting this 'verse' which the muse doesn't seem to want to let go quite yet. Phoebe - thanks for helping on 'your story' too :-)_

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 _"He loves you, you know."_

From where he sat in the passenger seat of the car, Steve shook his head in awe as he gave Danny a side-long glance. Steve had been stunned by Danny's quick departure from the exam room and when he'd returned, he'd been better but generally quiet. In between and according to Doctor Morris, Danny's hasty retreat had everything to do with love. Evidently, so did his ongoing reticence to speak.

 _"Do you understand that he thought the worst? He thought the worst ... and now, he's trying to process the best."_

Morris's words echoed on and Steve made a face. How'd he missed all that when he, of all people, should have known better? Danny ' _glass is half empty_ ' Williams would of course have had him half-way to the grave. Not because he wanted him there, but because that was just Danny's inherent knee-jerk reaction because Danny was the last person on earth to believe he deserved his own quotient of happiness.

"But, we heard the best," Steve muttered to himself as he eyed his partner's profile. That was too true. Morris's tests appeared to confirm her supposition that Steve merely had an inner ear infection. Of course, the root cause wasn't just bad seas contaminated by run-off, but due to his weakened immune system. So it was good news, bad news of sorts. Wholly fixable regardless. Yet, Danny was having trouble digesting the whole of it.

"... _he thought the worst ..."_

Danny's reaction was purely that of adrenaline-driven emotion. As Steve sat there, slouched against the door and feeling still somewhat ill, he studied Danny's profile more bravely. The rigidity of the jawline, the way Danny swallowed convulsively every now and again. The way he had a death-grip on the steering column to hide the occasional quiver of his fingers.

Steve shook his head again, his expression now one of fondness. He felt it down into the pit of his own stomach and it made his queasiness worse. _Danny loved him_. They loved each other and had admitted as much. But at the end of the day, they still skated around the reality of that love. Steve unconsciously touched his own lips, his fingers tracing an almost lost memory of Danny kissing him. He'd been sick at the time himself and Steve had thought the tenderness an accident despite Danny saying otherwise. They hadn't quite revisited that place again either; so that merely compounded ... their mutual avoidance.

What were they doing? All the indicators were there and still, they refused to commit.

Danny loved him. Danny was scared for him and that meant, Danny was plain scared of losing him. Now it was Steve's turn to churn through certain truths about himself, too. He stared hard at his partner. Other than replying to the occasional question from Charlie who was dozing in the rear of the Camaro in his booster seat, Danny hadn't said so much as boo since leaving the doctor's office. As he watched, Danny swallowed hard again; his Adam's apple bobbing. Steve wondered if Danny had a headache and even felt queasy himself. In fact, there was a thin sheen of sweat covering Danny's upper lip.

Steve had just about scared Danny half to death because ... Danny had assumed the very worst scenario. In his typical fashion, Danny didn't quite know how to process his relief ... _because Danny loved him so much_.

As a familiar knot of sheer longing tightened inside Steve's chest, Steve knew that he loved Danny just as much. He _needed_ him. He took a minute to sit up straighter and look over his shoulder towards Charlie. All floppy arms and legs, the little boy was sound asleep. His head hanging down to the side and gently swaying with the motion of the car. Steve smiled gently as he gazed at the boy's sleep-flushed cheeks because he needed Charlie, too. And Grace. Steve _needed_ both of Danny's kids. Without thinking, Steve reached out to Danny to gently squeeze his shoulder. Steve would go through hell and back for Danny and for either one of his children; Danny'd already done that for him time and again. They would truly do anything for each other.

When they stopped at a traffic light, Danny glanced his way, his shoulder tense under Steve's hand and Steve shook his head, not knowing quite how to express what he was feeling.

"What? Are you all right?" Danny asked. "Are you okay?" Steve nodded as Danny quickly studied him, apparently stuck on Steve's not feeling well. But Steve was studying Danny, too, and noting how somber Danny's eyes still seemed to be.

"Yeah, I'm good," Steve replied softly as he allowed his thumb to rub a small circle near Danny's clavicle, not liking the heat leeching into his hand. "Much better." He opened his mouth, ready to say just that - that he didn't like how tense Danny still was - when his friend spoke first.

"You should eat something when we get home," Danny said. "Then, get off your feet; let the meds get in your system; this is nothing to fool around with."

Steve smiled gently, acquiescing quickly. But this was the start of their dance again, wasn't it? There but not there; straddling the fence and not jumping to the other side even though it was obvious that they both wanted to.

"Maybe you should take a shower and relax," Danny said. "I'll throw together something to eat and then you can take your meds."

They were very close to being at Steve's house now and he'd let Danny do what he needed to do to settle. The fussing was part and parcel of Danny's makeup. Especially now when he knew what he could do - now that he had a job he understood - he'd be able to settle faster and calm down.

"I'll help you put Charlie to bed," Steve said. "He's out like a light ... we might be able to get another hour out of him as a nap."

"Yeah, all right," Danny said, his eyes suddenly a million miles away.

When they parked, it was Danny though who skillfully manipulated his son out of his car seat and to his bedroom. But it was Steve who was waiting for Danny in the kitchen, his bottles of medication lined up on the counter top.

"Morris says you have to eat," Danny said as he tried to shoulder past where Steve was standing. As he tried to brush by, Steve felt that same sickly heat rising off him and he grabbed for Danny's arms, swinging him around.

"What are you doing?" Danny asked as he tried to pull away, his brow furrowed when Steve wouldn't let him. "What? Listen ... you need to take all of this stuff ... it's nothing to fool with ..."

"You said that about four times already. Now, shut up," Steve whispered as he pulled Danny to his chest and without daring to think, pressed his lips to Danny's, drawn into that damnable mouth that never stopped moving - except when it _shouldn't_. If Danny wasn't going to really speak to him and sound more like a parrot, then Steve was damned well going to give him a much better reason not to really talk. "Just ... shut up, Danno," he whispered again, as he layered kiss after kiss over that mouth, teasing Danny's lower lip and grinning through an unexpected moan from the smaller man.

Sure, they'd been dancing around this since Danny had nearly been killed. They'd been testing the waters, stealing kisses that were far too chaste and touches which were far too careful. Both knew what they were doing; they didn't need to say it out loud. They knew what they weren't doing too and the games had to stop. They _needed_ to stop. When he tried to pull away, Steve refused to give Danny space. He tucked Danny in even tighter, his head falling just under his chin and Steve almost laughed at the light but heady scents of vanilla and coconut wafting from the loose strands of blond hair. Sinking his head lower, Steve reveled in how pliable Danny had become, bemused when Danny snuggled in closer, his arms wrapped around Steve's waist, as he licked and sucked a gentle trail over Danny's neck and then to the soft juncture of his shoulder. The scent was different here, thick and peppery from sweat, and Steve inhaled deeply of it before wetly mouthing the area. He grinned when Danny shivered against him, incredibly silent even if that damnable mouth was now free.

"Look at you," Steve smirked into the crook of Danny's neck. "You're letting me drive again."

He more felt than heard the wrecked, muffled sound that leaked out from inside Danny's chest and Steve leaned back in surprise. Danny's eyes were closed and he was panting softly, his body virtually melded to his, yet a tear had broken loose to trace down the side of one cheek.

"I...I'm sorry," Steve murmured, his stomach clenching almost painfully as his head began to throb almost on queue. Worried that he'd massively screwed up despite the way Danny was clinging to him, Steve tried to brush the tear away. But then Danny was tugging him closer, burying his face in Steve's shirt, his fingers clenching and almost scrabbling across his back.

"You scared the crap out of me," Danny said. "You freaking maniac. You need to take care of yourself ..."

"I know... I'm sorry," Steve replied. "I wasn't thinking I guess." The excuse finally felt lame even to his ears now though and Steve didn't know what to say to ease Danny's mind because in a big way, Danny was right. Whether it be his norm or even denial about his current health challenges, sometimes Steve was just oblivious until it was too late. And here was Danny again, desperately trying to give him a wake-up call.

"We work in all the right ways ... but in all the wrong ways, too," Danny whispered. "And ... I can't keep doing this. Not to me ... especially not to Charlie when he's so damned innocent. He loves you too much."

Steve paused, confused and with his worry mounting all over again. That sickly thud in his temple accelerated and he wheezed out a pained breath. "What do you mean by that?" He struggled to ask, not at all sure he wanted to know. " _Jesus_ , Danny ... what do you mean?"

"You said it once," Danny kept right on whispering even as he lifted his face up to stare into Steve's eyes. "You _said_ that almost losing me twice was enough of a nudge. Put yourself in my place, Steve. For me, two times with you was just a tease; just the tip of the iceberg and I can't do it anymore. You got a nudge? I got a kick in the ass. When are you going to realize that you are not expendable? You've got a family. _We_ are your family. What the hell am I supposed to do without you, _huh_? Me? Charlie ... Grace? You're so much more than _plain old Uncle Steve who Danno works with_ \- you're their - _everything_."

Steve heaved in a ragged breath of air, still a bit lost, still scared to death that this was a break up in their relationship before it even had a solid chance to start. He stood there, rock solid, afraid to move lest he lose the physical hold he had on Danny. Afraid his queasy stomach would win out and he'd dry heave right then and there.

"Danny? I ...?" Steve's brain was still in an upheaval when Danny hooked his fingers around the nape of his neck. He tugged Steve down until their noses skimmed and then their lips. Danny leaned in, his other hand on Steve's hip for balance as he kissed him deeply.

"What do you need from me?" Danny whispered, his voice was husky. His eyes were glassy though, full of un-shed tears. "Just ... tell me because I don't know what to do anymore."

Steve closed his eyes. He rested his forehead against Danny's and then simply said the easiest truth. "I need _you_ , Danno." Blindly, Steve recaptured Danny's lips, their kisses now stained with tears. Eyes closed, Steve heaved in another sigh as he tucked Danny back into his arms and pressed kiss after kiss to the top of his head.

"That's all ... just you."

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _Busy week and arguments with the muse on a proper closure. Thank you to all and to those guests I can't respond to. Phoebe, I hope you enjoyed your story!_

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

"Did you hear him before? In the doctor's office? With Morris," Steve asked as Danny all but shoved him towards the bed. _Shove_ was actually the wrong word, but Steve would never admit to that and perhaps he played it up just a bit, hoping Danny would follow him. Which he did. So Steve stumbled backwards and landed as he'd planned it out: half-sitting on the edge of the mattress, staring at Danny - _specifically at his lips_ \- as his friend tugged his shirt over his head.

"So did you?" Steve pressed on. "Charlie?" He raised one arm and then the other. He lost sight of Danny as that shirt came off, only to lose it once again when a clean, light-weight tee-shirt was pulled on over his head. He reversed course to raise each arm again, managing to yank the hem down by himself. All the while staring into Danny's face.

"Yeah, I heard him. Help me out, Steve," Danny said patiently, ignoring Steve's lopsided yet somewhat lewd grin as he unzipped Steve's jeans next. "Now stand up and get these off ..."

"Make up your mind, Danno," Steve tried for innuendo, his voice dusky more from drugs than actually what one-quarter of his brain seemed up for. He evidently failed all around when their fingers collided over the material of his jeans. For a minute they got nowhere at all and Danny rolled his eyes towards the ceiling as he switched course to heave Steve to his feet.

"Clothes ... or no clothes?" Steve tried again. Forcing his knees to lock, he ran his fingers lightly over Danny's arms, head bobbling. Alluring never felt so damnably difficult and all he wanted was a taste of Danny's mouth. One tiny kiss. Or ... a few kisses. He wasn't being all that greedy, was he? Besides, if he was sick, shouldn't he get what he wanted? If it wasn't a law, it should be one. Steve was sure that it worked that way.

"Bed ... or no bed? How about ... bed, _huh_? How about you ... sleep with me?"

"How about a little bit of both ... but not what you think you're _trying_ to say," Danny stated firmly. "Knock it off before you fall down," he said as he slapped Steve's hands away from his chest in order to pull Steve's jeans down over his hips and then bent over to manage the rest.

"Foot," Danny demanded, all business as he tugged so hard that Steve lurched forward into him. "Pick up your _foot_ , Steven!"

"Geez! Danno! Give a guy a break, would-ya!" Steve complained as he planted both his hands on the broad part of Danny's back to keep from falling while he lifted one foot and then the other for Danny to yank the rest of the material off his legs. He grinned as Danny's muscles bunched under his hands. He rubbed his hands across Danny's shoulder blades, enjoying their flex and envisioned capturing Danny's face on the upswing until ... the tides were unexpectedly turned.

"Hey!" Steve practically squawked as he was firmly and without preamble, piloted backwards until the mattress hit the back of his knees. Without even time for a glance, Steve suddenly found himself stranded on his back in his own bed with Danny efficiently taking the time to tuck him in. Confused and fighting through a small bout of nausea, Steve blinked fuzzily through a faint dizzy spell, swallowing hard.

"Now, stay there and close your eyes," Danny said. "Be a good boy, for once, and just go to sleep." His eyes were daring Steve to do anything but that even when Steve purposefully eyed Danny's mouth, his tongue darting temptingly over his own lips.

"But," Steve started to say. "I thought ...maybe ..." However, Danny shook his head because, if Steve had any other ideas - _or at least that one-quarter of his brain thought he did_ \- Danny most certainly was not on board for any of them.

"But _nothing_. Sleep," Danny interrupted. "You're practically cross-eyed you're so tired ... you're toast."

Though he sounded stern, his own eyes were sparkling with humor as he gauged what he'd do next. Even on strong meds, Steve could see the mental wheels churning inside his partner's head. Danny's hands were planted on his hips now as he stood over Steve looking around the room. Eyes narrowed, he aimed himself towards the windows to draw the blinds against the brightness of the afternoon sun.

"But ...Danny?" Steve objected again, nearly pleading, as the room lost more than half its light. He blinked tiredly when Danny ignored him and fell back into the pillows. Half wanting to embrace the idea of sleep and yet he made a face about giving in entirely. Now he was worried that Danny was going to leave. As Steve watched Danny prowl the bedroom, folding his clothes and throwing a spare blanket or two to the foot of the bed, was there potential of Danny just tucking him in and ... _leaving_ him to sleep himself out?

Steve must have been still frowning when their eyes met because Danny immediately put a halt to his busy activity to stare back at him.

"What's the matter?" Danny asked from where he stood at the foot of the bed. "Sick?"

Steve slowly shook his head to the contrary. "No. You gonna stay?" He asked. "Or, now that things are sort of better ... do you have other plans?"

"Hey? What? No! Charlie's sleeping for one," Danny assured him quietly, honestly surprised by the question. "We're here for the duration. _I'm here_ for the duration! So, I'll be right here if you need anything. Besides your definition of _sort of better_ is apparently much different from mine, babe. Do you think I'd trust you one iota to stay in bed, take your meds ... or stay out of that damned ocean if I wasn't here, Steve?"

Grinning happily, Steve relaxed with a grateful nod. All of that was very true; he wasn't at all trustworthy. _Not one iota_ he thought merrily to himself as Danny resumed his prowl. He realized though that he'd been diverted from his very original question.

"So you did hear him before? Charlie? In the doctor's office?," Steve asked again around a gaping yawn. He found himself grinning now at the memory; what Charlie had said was really nothing. Not really and yet ... it sure was. To Steve, what Charlie had so innocently said was everything to him. Even if the boy was only five years old, Steve was pleased and proud by the most simplest of words. Plus, talking about Charlie would keep Danny around longer and besides, he'd not finished his earlier point.

"I heard him," Danny repeated as he walked silently to the side of the bed. "I did ... he said ..."

"He said: _My_ Uncle Steve. Not just Steve; not even just plain old Uncle Steve. But his - _my_ \- Uncle Steve. When did that happen? _Huh_?" Steve interrupted contentedly, needing to repeat it all first. His heart swelled when Danny gazed down at him, beaming with one of his warmest, happiest smiles.

"He loves you, Steve," Danny said. "So yeah, you're _his_ ...," he paused before chuckling, his breathing just a bit ragged as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He inhaled deeply and then dropped his eyes to his hands as if collecting his thoughts. "You're his ...," he murmured softly as he worried the corner of the blanket. " ... just like you're mine."

"You're mine, too," Steve whispered as he tapped the bed next to his side to encourage Danny to be closer. "Stay with me?"

"Needy much, babe?" Danny raised an eyebrow, his eyes still alight with humor. "You're going to get me into this bed one way or another, aren't you? This is a whole new side to the big, badass Navy SEAL, isn't it? I'm gonna have to talk to Doctor Morris about these meds."

Nonetheless and to Steve's immense relief, Danny merely tossed two of the extra pillows up against the headboards. "I'll stay for _a while_ and then ... while you sleep and I mean _sleep_ , Steven ... make sure you're okay. But you _need_ to sleep this thing out. I can't have you ... _tripping_ ... makes for a bad impression."

"Sure, Danno," Steve replied as Danny sat next to him up against the headboard, legs comfortably crossed at the ankles. Canting his head just a bit, Steve blinked through a blurry haze, even more content when he watched Danny close his eyes first, his hands clasped across his lap. Steve didn't care then. If Danny wanted to feign sleep, too, then so be it. But Steve only really relaxed when he felt Danny scrunching down even lower. Only then did he give in to sleep.

 **H5O* H5O**

Steve woke slowly from that heavy, dreamless sleep. Buried under a mountain of blankets, he woke lying on his side, his right arm under a smashed up pillow. He smiled to himself when he sensed the soft rise and fall of his left arm which was carelessly slung over Danny's body. Still drowsy and definitely not wanting to move a single muscle, he quietly took stock of how he was feeling and tried to half-heartedly estimate the time of day. He was disappointed to realize that he didn't feel quite entirely well-rested. However, he was definitely much better overall; a huge relief after the frightening bouts of dizziness and dry heaves. His stomach was settled and vertigo apparently nonexistent. At least for the moment. But as for the time of day, he wasn't quite sure. Napping mid-day, no matter how ill he might have felt in the past, just wasn't something he'd ever done. Unless of course he was on a mission and obligated to catch a power nap. That had had a reason though - a definite means to an end. Now, without having a valid excuse in his opinion even if Danny had simply pushed him into the bed, Steve was admittedly a bit disoriented.

He moved his head just enough to look at the window and stifled an unhappy groan. He had to squint almost painfully against the light as a few rays of sun cast themselves across the floor. Based on their slant, it was still early at least. And with the house as quiet as it was, Charlie still had to be napping, too. There was no need to go anywhere or worry about anything and Steve decided right then and there to just go with the flow. If not for himself, than for Danny who sometimes seemed rarely able to sleep. Steve raised himself almost delicately onto his elbow to carefully tuck closer into Danny's back, cocooning the blond into his chest even though Danny had fallen asleep on top of the covers.

He grinned at the resulting soft murmur of protest, followed by the briefest of fidgets, all of which he then gently shushed.

"Go back to sleep, Danno," Steve murmured, pleased when Danny's movements completely subsided. He'd stayed and fallen asleep. Steve felt a tiny pang of some guilt for all the running around Danny'd done on his behalf. His having fallen asleep proved that Danny also needed a decent excuse to get some rest and enjoy some down time. Besides, as Steve was fast learning, if the kids were quiet - if Charlie was otherwise safely preoccupied - that was an advantage well worth taking. Still balanced on his elbow, Steve studied Danny's facial expression, his gaze focused on those now slightly parted lips.

Danny's mouth was intriguing. But as Steve watched him sleep, he noticed more. There wasn't a single stress-line or crease across Danny's brow. Nothing showed on Danny's face except for an utter peace which Steve wasn't sure he'd ever actually seen before. Hardly breathing now, Steve really looked, cataloguing, memorizing and comparing his usually animated partner to this quiet version. For a second though, Steve felt a pang of fear. A remembered feeling of helplessness when Danny had been shot and had nearly died. Danny's face had been devoid of expression then, too, and now, Steve tilted his head slightly to press a kiss against Danny's temple. He was warm and vibrant under Steve's lips. Safe under Steve's arm and most importantly safe within Steve's home.

Unable to help himself, Steve closed his eyes as he sighed another soft kiss against Danny's cheek, continuing along that high ridge and breathing in everything that was Danny. He reveled in the experience able to selfishly just enjoy having Danny there while covertly investigating the lines of his face. Balanced on his elbow, he trailed his fingertips lightly over Danny's arm, lingering over muscles lax in sleep. His strength was as obvious as his tenderness. Danny was a fascinating mix of hard lines and muted edges; it was nearly impossible to tell where the delineation might be and Steve soon forgot that bit of fear as he gazed at Danny with a fond attentiveness.

"I love you buddy," Steve whispered. With Danny here and Charlie in the next room, nothing ever felt so right to him. Having Danny here with him didn't feel strange or weird. There was nothing uncomfortable when he resumed that feather-light drag of his fingertips across Danny's arm, once again marveling in the freedom Danny's deep sleep was affording him.

Steve pressed a soft kiss to Danny's shoulder when he stirred and then stayed under, his lips twitching upwards before falling lax. Why should any of this be odd at all? Far too much had been foisted on them in an extremely short period of time. Of anyone in their lives, they always came back full circle for one very simple reason: trust. It was the strongest part of their foundation which this love was so solidly built upon.

Still though, Steve was in awe as he brushed another dry kiss along Danny's bare arm, aching for his mouth but accepting what he could reach as Danny slept on. Neither of them honestly could have guessed this interesting development in their relationship. It seemed to have crept up upon them both as a slow and steady progression and maybe that was why this - he and Danny as one whole - wasn't such the oddity it might have been in some other universe. On impulse, Steve dropped off his elbow, snuggling even deeper into Danny's body. Eyes closing peacefully, he buried his nose in Danny's hair and sighed in contentment.

 _ **~ End. ~**_


End file.
